


Intrinsic

by petite-neko (petiteneko)



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-21
Updated: 2014-01-21
Packaged: 2019-02-02 08:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12722808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petiteneko/pseuds/petite-neko
Summary: The battles and the dangers were months behind them, but it didn’t mean the memories weren’t.





	Intrinsic

Sometimes Link would wake at the sound of a branch snapping.

Sometimes Link would turn around and lower into a stance with his hand at the ready.

Sometimes Link would tense when it was too silent.

But this was the first time that Link ever did this.

And it scared Groose. It caused beads of trepidation over his skin. It made him too afraid to even tremble.

It was all because Groose wanted to do something nice for his beloved.

He never imagined it would turn out like this.

.xxx.

Usually Link always woke up before him and slept after him, but Groose never questioned it. From what he had seen before, he knew what dangers Link once faced. He knew that Link was accustomed to low sleep and always being prepared.

He hadn’t directly seen most of it – only as Link battled against the Imprisoned One and as he fought through that horde of demons that the creep had summoned – but by the way Link held himself, by the way he battled, Groose knew.

But he never knew how deeply it ran in Link’s veins or how deeply it was ingrained within Link.

That’s why he never had expected this outcome.

.xxx.

In the back of his mind, Link could hear something teeter as it was knocked, and it began to rouse him from his sleep. But as that same object smashed to the ground, Link’s gradual awakening had been turned into overdrive and his hand immediately went for the blade at his wrist as he shot out of bed. He saw something approach him – vaguely humanoid in shape, but he couldn’t be sure – and he pushed the invader against the wall. His eyes narrowed into slits and held the dagger against their vital spot on their neck before tightening his muscles to deal the deadly blow.

“Ugh!” The invader groaned as their back hit the wall but froze at the dagger aimed at its jugular.

Link tilted his head – the voice sounded vaguely familiar – and didn’t plunge the metal into the supple flesh beneath the point.

Strange… he never once fought a peach-coloured bokoblin…

Not to mention it was quite a tall one – moblin then?

But Link didn’t relinquish his hold on the dagger as his eyes wandered over the body of his assailant, wondering how strong this breed was. But then, he took in the clothes that the demons certainly did not wear, he took in the proud facial features and that familiar, _red_ pompadour.

Shit! Shit! _**Shit!**_

Link’s eyes widened in horror as he jumped back and his body began to shake. The weapon that once threatened Groose’s life fell from Link’s limp, trembling hand and clanked as it hit the floor. There was disgust in the sky-blue eyes that stared at the dangerous hands before they were brought up to grasp at golden hair.

“No, no, no…” Link whispered and fell to his knees. He didn’t just…

He almost killed Groose… he almost let his hands coat themselves in the blood of the one he loved.

And his wild imagination painted the scene before him. If he had actually gone through with it… if he didn’t have that one moment of hesitation… His hands wouldn’t be in his hair right now. No, they would be shining with crimson blood. And Groose wouldn’t be frozen in fear against a wall, but he would he frozen in _death._

All because of him. All because he couldn’t control the instincts that kept him alive, that kept everybody else alive.

Some hero he was.

Large arms encased him and locked him in a cage while lips whispered words into his hair. “Shh… it’s alright Link. I’m fine.”

Link shook his head and tried to get out of the embrace. “No Groose, it’s not alright! I almost _killed_ you! I almost spilled your blood all over _our_ room!” Despite himself, Link could feel tears forming in his eyes, and he _knew_ that Groose wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. He could feel a similar tremble in the arms that held him.

But at the same time, Link knew that deep within him, he didn’t want to leave Groose’s hold, because if he _truly_ did, then he would have gotten out of it by now.

“But you _didn’t_ Link. You pulled yourself together before you could.”

“It still doesn’t change that I almost did! It still doesn’t change the fact that I might do it again – and what if I can’t stop myself the next time! What if I actually _do!_ Groose… for your sake we should…” Link’s voice trembled now with a different kind of fear.

“No.” Groose’s voice was unwavering. “I’m not going to do that.” The arms around Link had moved so that the red-haired human was holding onto the other’s shoulders and their eyes locked. “Link, I love you. I don’t _care_ that sometimes you don’t act like other people. I don’t _care_ that you are too alert. I’m not going to abandon you because you’re used to monsters attacking you at every corner.”

Link could feel his body trembling again. He closed his eyes, turned his head and bit his lip. How could Groose trust him if he couldn’t even trust himself? How could Groose approach him after what he had just done?

Those large, comforting hands now grasped at his cheeks and Link was forced to face Groose again. “I love you Link. Nothing is ever going to change that.”

“But…” Link tried quietly.

“So stop trying to bear everything. Stop trying to be strong for everybody. You can’t do everything alone.” The yellow eyes were soft in a smile and Groose’s thumb wiped away a tear.

A weak laugh escaped Link’s chest. Groose was right, and Groose was always there for him when he needed it. A smile finally graced the features that had been filled with dread and Link’s hand touched Groose’s cheek. “I don’t think your Groosenator will help this problem.”

Groose laughed as his face lowered. “Probably not, but I know something else that just might.” He said before joining their lips together. “Happy birthday Link.”


End file.
